Brotherly Love
by Doc House
Summary: The truth behind why Toby confronted the President about his abusive father. Set after, Night Five. Toby fic. TobyCJ friendship.
1. Brotherly Love 1

"Brotherly Love"

Written by: Melissa (Doc)

Part 1

"Okay, I have some bad news and some good news," Josh wandered into the office.

"Josh, I truly hate when you say that," Toby looked up.

"Which one do you want to hear first?"

"The bad."

"Why not the good?"

"Because after you tell me the bad, then hearing the good may make me feel better about the bad." He scrunched his face up at the sound of that sentence actually coming out of his mouth.

"Okay," Josh shook his head in confusion. "Amy dumped me," Josh looked more annoyed with the news then sad about it.

"Josh."

"Yeah?"

"I seriously don't care about your love life. I tried to be there for you, but my interest quickly faded."

"I thought you liked us together," Josh shot Toby a hurt look.

"I didn't really care one way or another."

"Fine," Josh snapped.

"What's the bad news?"

"That was the bad news." He said coldly.

"Oh," Toby grinned at his mistake. "What's the good news?"

"Well, there is no good news actually," Josh sat down and pouted. "I gave her the best two months of my life, Toby."

"Josh, this is really sad," Toby looked down and went back to work.

"Don't you feel sad for me? Upset that this happened?" Josh glared at him.

"Josh, like I said. I didn't really care all that much."

"You know, I trusted you with this thing," Josh stood up and yelled. "And you just throw me out like a piece of trash." He shook his head at Toby.

"What are you talking to me like that for? I didn't just break up with you!"

"I know," Josh could see the anger building in Toby's face. "I think I'm going to go somewhere else now," Josh said as he walked out.

"Good boy," Toby said as he began typing.

"Toby," Sam walked in a moment later with a smile.

"What is this, bug Toby day?"

"It's that day every day," Sam smiled and sat down on the couch. "I need to tell you something."

"Can it wait?"

"Well, it's kind of important."

"Is it about work?"

"No."

"Then tell me later. I'm busy."

"Toby…"

"Toby, CJ needs you," Ginger stuck her head in.

"Why?" He snapped, shoving his work aside finally.

"I don't know, she just called and told me to tell you to get your ass down there now." Ginger remained passive as she gave the abrupt message to her boss.

"Fine," Toby yelled and stood.

"I really need to talk to you Toby." Sam stood as well.

"Later Sam!" Toby snapped as he walked out of his office to find out what the hell was wrong with CJ.

"Toby, Leo needs to know when the first part of the speech will be done," Margaret ran to catch up with him.

"When everyone leaves me alone!" Toby snapped. "First Josh, then Sam. Now CJ," He said as Margaret stayed behind as he stormed into CJ's office, slamming her office door behind him.

"Did you see it?" CJ looked up from her desk when he entered.

"What?" Toby shrugged.

"Hoynes on the hill. He mentioned that one job within this White House may be looking for a new name."

"What the hell…" Toby's tempter was quickly elevating.

"He said that if President Bartlet wins reelection, he would hire a new face for the roll as Communications Director. What the hell is that all about?" CJ snapped.

"Don't worry about it." Toby rubbed his forehead.

"Toby…"

"I said, don't worry about it CJ," Toby snapped. "I have a speech to finish," Toby began to walk out.

"Toby, what made him say that?" CJ asked him before he left.

"Hoynes has never been able to think straight. Don't worry about it," Toby said as he walked out and went back to his office.

"Can I talk with you now?" Sam asked impatiently as Toby entered. He was sitting on the couch, waiting.

"Sam, I have to finish this speech."

"Please, I…"

"Sam, go!" Toby slammed his hands against his desk and pointed at the door.

"Fine," Sam got up and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Toby sat there for a minute. He took a deep breath and then went back to writing. He finished the speech within an hour. He was surprised that no one had bothered him. Maybe they finally got the hint that he wanted to be left alone. Toby walked out to get some coffee.

"Toby," CJ joined him out of nowhere.

"Couldn't wait…" Toby turned to talk to her, but noticed that she was all dressed up. "Where are you going?" His voice cracking as he noticed the long slit on her dress.

"I have a date," CJ smiled, noticing his eyes looking at every inch of her body. "Not that you care."

"With whom?" He asked.

"Someone that I'm not telling you about."

"CJ, just tell me." He groaned.

"Why, you don't care." She smirked at him.

"Just tell me!" Toby snapped.

"His name is David," She smiled.

"Do I know him?" He mentally went over all the David's he knew.

"A little." She shrugged a bit nervously.

"David who?" Recognition of her possible date fluttered into his mind.

"If you're so smart, you figure it out," CJ smiled.

"What, are you dating my little brother?" Toby laughed at the thought. Then he saw CJ standing there, not denying it. "CJ?" He looked shocked.

"I'm a grown woman Toby." CJ defended.

"My brother!" Toby yelled and everyone around them looked over.

"Toby, keep your voice down." CJ waved the people around them away.

"You're dating my brother?" Toby said quietly. "When did this happen?"

"I asked him to have dinner with me."

"You asked him out?" He couldn't believe this.

"He's a very attractive man Toby." CJ teased.

"Don't make me sick CJ," Toby rubbed his forehead.

"Why did the Vice President say that there would be a new Communications Director?" CJ asked again. She looked at him closely, and saw his jaw clench.

"CJ, don't change the subject…" Toby began issuing a warning.

"Why?" CJ snapped. God, he was driving her crazy lately. It was his own damn fault that she was going out with his brother tonight.

"I don't know." Toby replied tightly.

"You do know." CJ used the same tone of voice as he.

"Have a great night!" Toby snapped and stormed off, tossing his untouched cup of coffee in the trash.

"Toby, Leo wants to see you," Margaret walked up to him.

"Not now!"

"Yes now," She snapped, which gained his attention. "He said now," She backed off and went back to work.

"Damn!" He cursed and began walking toward Leo's office.

"Toby…" Sam stepped out of a room next to him.

"Sam, not now!"

"I need to talk with you." Sam demanded.

"Leo wants to see me, and then I have to do something about CJ. I don't have time for you right now."

"I'm going out on a date tonight!" Sam yelled as Toby walked ahead.

"Good for you!" Toby yelled over his shoulder.

"With Andi," Sam finished and watched as Toby stopped.

"Andi who?" Toby asked, turning around to face him.

"Andy W…"

"My ex-wife?" Toby walked up to him. "What the hell Sam?" Toby screamed.

"I was talking with her about the speech and I asked her out. It's…" Sam tried to explain.

"You know what? I don't care. Do what you want!" Toby snapped and went into Leo's office.

"Okay, the President won't talk to me about this, so you better tell me what happened after the Iowa Caucus!" Leo demanded when Toby entered. Toby reached behind him and shut the door.

"Don't worry about…"

"Don't tell me not to worry about it! John said if the President wins, he would hire a new Communications Director. Now, he must have overheard this to say it. And the only people that he could have overheard it from would have been you or the President. And I don't think it was you. Now tell me what happened!"

"Leo!" Toby could feel himself about to explode. He took a deep breath, not wanting this to be the office he exploded in. "Nothing happened."

"Toby, whatever you said has the President considering firing you. And it has made him not able to sleep. Now, I want to know, or I'll can your ass."

"Fire me for all I care Leo. This place is driving me insane. You hired me to do a job, and I've been doing my job!"

"Toby…"

"If you want to know, ask the President. Because you're not getting it from me!" Toby yelled and stormed out. Leaving a stunned Leo behind.

"Toby, I was wondering…"

"Josh, if I were you I would stop right here," Toby warned and walked back to his office and slammed the door.

"What happened?" Josh asked as Leo walked next to him.

"I don't know, but he's fired. Get Sam and tell him he's bumped up." Leo snapped and walked off.

"Josh, where did…" Donna started, but noticed the worried look on his face. "What?"

"Toby was just fired," Josh said in shock.

TBC


	2. Brotherly Love 2

Part 2

"CJ, it's so great to see you," David stood as CJ walked over to the table.

"It's good to see you too," She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I was surprised you wanted to do this, we could have met at my office," David smiled as they both sat down.

"I thought we could eat while we talked," She smiled.

"Good idea," David ordered some wine from the waitress. "So, what can I do for you?"

"I know you don't talk to Toby very often. But, when you were younger, were you two close?"

"Yeah. We were until he turned 18, then our relationship sort of stopped. It was my fault at first, but he's carried a grudge for all these years." He answered bitterly.

"Tell me about him."

"What?" David asked confused.

"Something is up with him. I'm not sure what it is. I've always felt something was wrong with him ever since we met twenty years ago, but it was never this bad."

"What do you mean?" He asked, concerned.

"I think something happened in his past to make him the way he is. And so far, it has cost him his marriage, a lot of friendships, and so much more. And this time, it may cost him his job."

"He's that bad?" David asked, not particularly surprised.

"Yeah." She nodded, remembering the fight she had with him before she left to meet David.

"What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about his relationships with the people around him while growing up. Did something happen to cause this?"

"CJ, growing up in the neighborhood that we did wasn't easy. It took us everything we had to make it through the day. He took care of me when I was at school. He made sure no one hurt me. That's why we were so close. We trusted each other." He smiled at the memory.

"What happened between you two?"

"Everything you see in Toby, all the pain, hatred, sadness. It comes from one place."

"Where?"

"Our father."

"I thought Toby was close…"

"Not even. Toby was always smart. He just had it in him. He loved to write, more than anything. If he wasn't in school or at work, he was writing. Well, my dad hated it. He wanted Toby to be into sports or something else. Toby was a lot smarter than he was. Dad hated that. So every day, yelling and fighting. It mainly came from my father's side, but Toby did speak up sometimes. Well, dad found all his writings one night and burned them while Toby was at work. It was the day before Toby's 18th birthday. He got off work around ten and found dad sitting up waiting for him. He told Toby what he did and that it was for the best. Toby exploded. He started hitting everything besides dad. That was the one thing that never happened. Dad never hit Toby. He never hit any of us. He just knocked Toby down with words. And in a way, that was worse than being hit, for Toby. He would have rather felt the pain of a belt, or a fist, then hear the words that called him a loser. He tried hard in everything. And he never got any praise from dad. Never. Well, that night, after the fight, Toby packed all his things up. He sat on his bed until the clock hit midnight, and then he left. Dad told him he couldn't go, but Toby said he was 18 now. Toby kissed me goodbye and left. He was gone for weeks. When he came back, dad told him to leave. He said he wanted to see mom and me and told my dad to go to hell. Dad, for the first time, raised his hand and punched him. Toby was down for a little while, but got up. Dad yelled at him to go and started toward him again, but Toby pushed him away. Dad went against the wall because of the push and started yelling. Then he fell to the ground holding his chest. Toby was just yelling at him. Calling him every name in the book. My mom came and stopped Toby. When she did, she rushed over to dad and noticed that he wasn't moving. She felt for a pulse, but didn't feel anything. She called 911 but when they got there, it was too late. He had a heart attack. I started screaming at Toby after mom told me. She kept saying it wasn't his fault, that dad had a bad heart, but at the time, I didn't believe her. I blamed him for dad's death. I told him I would never forgive him. And he ran away. It was years before he came back. It was just in time for our mother's funeral. All those years CJ, I thought about that day. I know now that my dad was sick. He did have a bad heart. Toby was just there when it happened. It wasn't his fault. But I blamed him. He's held a grudge this whole time."

CJ took her time to digest all the information David had just shared. "He blamed himself," CJ said quietly. It was a statement, not a question.

"CJ." David saw the concerned look in CJ's eyes.

"Yeah?"

"He still does," David took a sip of water to help rid the lump that was in his throat.

"I never knew that." CJ was speechless.

"No one did. We never told anyone."

"So, this is why he is the way he is?"

"Yeah, he's never talked about it. He's held it all in. And that's killing him."

"Thank you," CJ smiled. "For doing this tonight."

"CJ, I love my brother. If anyone can help him, it's you."

"Maybe," CJ looked down, unsure of that fact.

"Look, talk to him," David offered.

Just then, CJ's cell phone started ringing. "Sorry," CJ reached inside her purse and took out the phone. "Hello?"

"Its Leo. Toby's fired, I need you to come in for a meeting."

"What?" CJ shook her head, thinking she misheard him.

"I don't want to talk about it CJ, just get back here."

"I'm on my way," She hung up the phone. "I guess our date is over."

David smiled at her joke.

"I'm so sorry, something happened…" CJ stopped and smiled at him. "You know how it goes."

"Don't worry about it. Just do me a favour." He asked as he helped her into her coat.

"What?"

"Help him," David smiled weakly. Worry and fear glazing over his eyes. "He deserves it."

"I will. I hope you're not…"

"CJ, go. Besides, I have to get back home. My wife's birthday is tomorrow and I hid her present in the house. She probably already tore everything down looking for it." He chuckled.

"Give her my best," CJ smiled.

"I will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," CJ gave him another look that conveyed how thankful she was for the information and walked out.

"I don't understand," Sam said. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

"You're bumped up to Communications Director," Leo explained again. Getting frustrated for having to repeat it.

"Why?"

"Because I fired Toby."

"Why?"

"Because he had it coming."

"No he didn't," CJ said as she walked in. "Leo, I need a minute."

"Yeah," He followed her back to her office. She shut the door behind him before crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"What?" Leo shrugged.

"Don't fire Toby."

"Look, I know that…"

"Let me fix this. Please," CJ pleaded. "You know as well as I do we can't run for reelection without Toby. There's no way. Let me talk to him."

"CJ…"

"Please," CJ looked at Leo with a dedicated look. He stood there for a minute and then nodded.

"You have until tomorrow." Leo warned.

"Thank you," CJ smiled and ran out. "Where's Toby?" She asked Ginger when she entered the Bullpen.

"He went home about an hour ago."

"Thanks," CJ ran out.

"Toby, answer the door!" CJ screamed as she pounded on his door harder.

"Shut up!" Someone yelled out next-door.

"Mind your own business!" CJ yelled back. "Toby!" She hit the door again.

"What the hell CJ?" Toby yelled as he opened his door. CJ didn't say anything and walked in. "Well, come on in," Toby said annoyed and shut the door.

"You know Toby. In my entire life, I have never met anyone that scares me more then you." CJ turned and looked at him. She wanted to hug him, to help ease his pain. But all she could do, all he would let her do, is confront him.

"Why do I scare you?" Toby asked quietly. Unsure of the sadness he saw in her eyes.

"Toby, something is going on in that mind of yours, and the thought of it scares the hell outta me. You scare me Toby because for the first time, I don't know what's going on under the surface." She bit her lower lip when her tears threatened to fall.

"CJ, I seriously don't want to have this conversation…"

"I don't care. We're having it!" She demanded.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick of you trying to hide it!"

"Hide what?"

"Your father!" CJ snapped. She wished she could take the words back as soon as they left her mouth.

Toby stood there with shock in his eyes. "CJ…"

"I talked to David tonight. That was my date. I asked to meet with him because I wanted to know how to help you."

"CJ…"

"What happened between you and the President, Toby? Did the past resurrect itself or what?"

"This is a good time to stop talking CJ…"

"Jed's father physically abused him. Your father mentally abused you. You brought that up to get the Presidents' mind back into the game. He obviously took offense to that and told you to leave his office. You leave and he's left there to have this sink in. Now he can't sleep, he's snapping at everyone, you can't seem to think about anything else but that, and now you just pushed it even further and got yourself fired. Tell me if I'm getting close Toby!" CJ yelled.

"CJ…"

"You blame yourself for your father dying, but it wasn't your fault…"

"Yes it was!" Toby finally shouted. "I pushed him and yelled at him until he had a heart attack. It was me!"

"Toby, it was his bad heart that killed him. Not you."

"What, did David tell you that? He blamed me too."

"I know. He knows. And he has been trying to apologize for that ever since."

"It's…"

"David loves you. He remembers the sacrifices you made for him. He wants you in his life. So get off your high horse and talk to him!"

"I've worked my whole life to get here CJ," Toby leaned against the wall. He felt the tears beginning to come, but he wiped them away.

"Don't do that. Don't wipe them away. Let them go," CJ walked over to him, resting her hands on his shoulders. "You need to trust someone Toby."

"I can't…"

"Yes you can," CJ put her arms around him. "I don't care if it's me, just as long as it's someone." She lied. She wanted it to be her.

"I don't want to lose my job," Toby began to cry and slowly lowered to his knees. CJ grabbed on to him and went down with him, holding him in her arms.

"I won't let you lose your job. I promise," CJ whispered and held him.

"Don't leave me," Toby whispered back, his voice yearning for comfort.

"I'm never going anywhere," CJ promised.

THE NEXT MORNING

"Can we please think of another way?" Toby asked while CJ walked him into the outer Oval Office.

"You want to keep your job. You know what you have to do." She stated the fact.

"I hate saying I'm sorry," Toby pouted.

"Charlie, Toby needs to see him." CJ ignored Toby's pout.

"Okay," Charlie nodded and went in. It took a while, but he came out and said he could go in.

"I'll be in your office when you're done," CJ smiled.

"Thank you," Toby smiled back and slowly walked into the Oval Office. "Good morning sir."

"Morning," Jed said from his couch. He was reading something so he didn't look up.

"We haven't talked in a while," Toby pointed out.

"Yeah," Jed still didn't look up.

"Sir," Toby sat across from him. "I'm sorry about that night. I let my personal life interfere with this, and I'm sorry."

"Toby…"

"No, sir. I had many problems with my father, and all of that shot back that night. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Jed looked up and smiled. "Thank you for saying that."

"I don't want to lose my job sir," Toby looked in Jed's eyes.

"Toby, like I said. I can't live without you. Even if you drive me nuts," Jed smiled. "You called me on something that I wasn't seeing. You could have done it in a better way, but still."

"Yes sir," Toby looked down.

"Thank you Toby," Jed smiled. "Now get back to work."

"Yes sir," Toby smiled and walked out. He noticed Sam pacing nearby.

"Sam," Toby called out to get his attention.

"What, you want to yell at me some more?" Sam turned to look at him, hurt burning in his eyes.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about yesterday and I'm very happy for you and Andi," Toby thought about it again. "I think."

"Really?" Sam smiled.

"How did it go last night?"

"Well, for the time I was there it was very nice. Leo called me in and said you were fired and I was bumped up. Please tell me that's not true," Sam pleaded.

"It's fixed. Call her and make another date. I'll support you two in anything you decide," He sounded sincere.

"What's wrong with you?" Sam asked with a smile.

"I'm in a good mood right now, so don't jinx it," Toby warned and walked back to his office. He was met by CJ, who was waiting for him as promised.

"How did it go?" CJ asked, praying for good news.

"I'm still employed," Toby replied.

"See, I'm always right," CJ smiled and finally took a deep breath.

"You can go away now," Toby said sarcastically, waving her toward his door.

"I'll see you later," CJ smiled and walked out. Leaving a very satisfied Toby in his office.

Toby picked up his phone and dialed a number that he had never dialed before, yet he always knew.

"David Ziegler."

"David, it's Toby. I was wondering if we could have lunch," Toby offered.

"I would love to," David smiled. He knew CJ worked her magic, and he now had his brother back.

The End


End file.
